Toy.



M. A. BURTHE.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1911.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

WITNESSES ATTOR/VEY8 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH COUWASHXN MARIE ANDRE BURTHE, OF UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA.

TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

Application filed April 28, 1911. Serial No. 623,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARIE ANDRE BURTHE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of University, in the county of Albemarle and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toys, of which the following is a specifica-- tion.

My invention is an improvement in toys, and has for its object the provision of a simple, cheaply constructed toy, especially designed to afford amusement, while at the same time developing quickness of observation, and dexterity of hand.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2. j

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a tubular shank 1, having one end open at 2, and having inserted in the other end, the reduced end 3 of a handle or grip 4. The shank is also provided with an opening 5 in its under face, of slightly greater diameter than the inside diameter of the shank. On its upper face, the shank is provided with spaced parallel longitudinal ribs 6, extending from the handle 4 to the open end of the shank. Each rib 6 is somewhat heightened adjacent to the handle, as indicated at 7, and the ends of the ribs are connected by a cross wall or stop 8 at the said end.

The ribs form a passage, channel or groove 9, extending from the cross wall or stop to the opposite or open end of the shank. The said cross wall or stop 8 is of greater height than the ribs, and the upper portion thereof is bent over toward the shank, as indicated at 10, so that the stop is above the end of the passage, as well as transverse thereto.

The portion 7 of the walls has its free edge inclined, to gradually connect the wall with the stop. A hoop ll-has its ends 12 secured to the under face of the shank at the open end 2, and a net 13 is supported by the hoop below the said open end.

The arms or sides of the hoop are curved upwardly toward the outer end of the hoop, as indicated at 14, so that the net is supported in front and above the open end of the shank, when the shank is horizontal, as well as below the same.

A game piece 15, in the form of a spherical object, is provided for cooperating with the shank and net, and the said object is of slightly smaller diameter than the bore of the shank, so that it will roll freely in the said bore. The passage or channel S).is substantially semi-circular in cross section, the bottom being rounded to fit the object 15.

The ends of the walls 6 at the end 2 of the shank, are rounded as shown at 16, and the shank may be of any desired material, length or cross section, and may be suitably ornamented, if desired. The hoop 11 extends outwardly approximately on a level with the longitudinal center of the shank, for approximately half the distance from the end of the shank to the end of the hoop, and thence upwardly in front of the end of the shank as shown.

In using the toy, the game piece 15 is placed in the groove 9, against the stop 8, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The

end 2 of the shank is then lowered, or the handle end raised, to incline the shank with its open end lower than the closed end. The game piece will run down the groove 9, and the object of the game is to transfer the game piece from the groove 9 to the bore of the shank. To accomplish this, the shank is quickly thrown into a vertical position just before the game piece reaches the end of the groove. The inertia of the game piece causes it to travel upwardly off the end of the passage, and over the portion of the shank between the groove and the bore, before it loses the impetus of the movement imparted to it by the inclining of the passage. .It will be evident that a considerable degree of quickness and dexterity is essential to the proper placing of the game piece in the shank, and that the use of the toy tends to develop quickness of eye and hand, as well as judgment of speed, weight and inclination.

The net is designed to catch the gam piece, when the operator fails to properly place the said piece, and the opening 5, permits the said piece to be returned readily to the shank.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a tubular shank open at one end, a handle at the other end and closing the bore of the shank, a groove or passage on the upper face of the shank extending from the handle to the open end, a stop at the end of the groove adjacent to the handle,

said stop having an extension above the groove, a hoop extending outwardly from the open end of the shank, a net supported. by the hoop, the outer end of the hoop being bent upward in front of the said open end, said shank having an opening in its lower side intermediate its ends, and a substantially spherical gai'ne piece fitting the groove and of less diameter than the bore of the shank.

2. A device of the character specified, comprising a tubular shank open at one end, a handle at the other end and closing the bore of the shank, a groove or passage on the upper face of the shank extending from the handle to the open end, a stop at the end of the groove adjacent to the handle, a net supported below the open end of the shank,

and a substantially spherical game piece of less diameter than the bore of the shank.

4:. A device of the character specified, comprising a tubular shank open at one end, a handle at the other end and closing the bore of the shank, a groove or passage on the upper face of the shank extending from the handle to the open end, a net supported below the open end of the shank, and a substantially spherical game piece movable in the bore of the shank.

5. A device of the character specified, comprising a tubular shank having one end closed and having the other end open, said shank having a longitudinal groove on its upper face, a receptacle supported below the open end of the shank, and a substantially spherical game piece movable in the bore of the shank.

6. A device of the character specified, comprising a tubular shank having one end closed and having the other end open, said shank having a longitudinal groove on its upper face and a substantially spherical game piece movable in the bore of the shank.

MARIE ANDRE BURTHE.

WVitnesses:

LUCY W. PAGE, MILDRED NELsoN PAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

